THE CITY REBORN FROM THE ASHES OF AMERICA'S MOST DISASTROUS FOREST FIRE

From our readers

Letter to Editor:

Is the County Board Leading Residents to Another Financial Loss?

With all the controversy with the Hwy. BB project one issue that the area residents should keep in mind is this could lead to a huge financial outlay for Marinette County. Not only is the County Board determined to spend two million dollars more for this project than is needed, they could very well be taking residents into a mess if the final outcome of the right of way issue is not what they are banking on.

During the Highway Departments plans to repave Hwy. BB they were advised by an out of town firm, Robert E Lee & Associates, that Hwy. BB had a 66 right of way. Based on that advise Marinette County instructed Integrys Energy to move gas lines to the edge of that proposed right of way. When private citizens began looking into where their actual lot lines were they began finding a conflict. Then local residents began looking for legal advise as did The Town of Peshtigo. Different attorneys and Bay Title have now advised residents that this 66 right of way is not accurate.

Hwy. BB was originally a small logging road extending from Marinette to Peshtigo Harbor. When the area was platted in The Town of Peshtigo the road was platted as a 3 rod road which means 49 and a half feet. The Wisconsin statutes only assure a 66 right of way if a plat is on record to determine that. The only plat on record in Marinette County is the 3 rod road.

County Supervisor Russ Bousley states that hes not worried about a legal challenge for the boards actions. It might be easy for him to take that stance since its not his money, this is the peoples money. If the highway department is wrong on this it could lead to millions of dollars in costs to Marinette County. Utilities are now placed on private property, moving them back is a huge expense one way or the other passed on to county residents. This could have been avoided for just a few hundred dollars worth of investigation before storming ahead when property lines are in dispute.

What were they thinking? Weve watched local government officials lead residents into financial disasters such as water billing and other issues, but this could be one of the biggest blunders yet. Maybe this is what can be expected when the County Board hires a highway commissioner who does not even reside in Marinette County, has no background or knowledge of the area, and has a cozy relationship with an engineering firm who may not be working in the best interest of local residents. Robert E. Lee & Associates designed a road in such a way that it gave them less liability but the cost to the local taxpayers was totally ignored. When calls were left at the office of Robert E. Lee & Associates to explain their determination why a 66 right of way was designed they would not return a call.

Jim Kollross,

Marinette

To the Editor:

Spring, Spring, where art thou?

Oh how Im longing for the first signs of Spring so we can pack up the old pickup truck and head to what we call up north in Wausaukee.

When we bought the property back in mid-March of 2011 it was 70 degrees. And, here we are rolling into March in sub-zero and single digit, bone chilling temps. Were not as tough stock as many true up northers as we dont hear that call of the snowmobile or the draw of the skis. We admire your toughness and even mimic the look, those Stormy Kromers are sweet - gotta say! But, we await anxiously, anxiously for Spring.

Oh Spring. That glorious thought of robins and bluebirds singing; newly born fawns staying close to their mamas; daffodils peaking up through the old fallen leaves; throwing open the windows and smelling the air... Oh Spring. Seeing my nephew trolling out in grandpas little john boat as he hopes to catch supper; spotting a bear on the trail cam passing by during the night; catching a glimpse of the morning mist over the lake as the sun comes up and moves high in the sky.

Just saying, we miss you Wausaukee. We miss you up northers. We miss you, Spring. Cant wait to taste the Ranger Stations burgers again; put our toes in the river (well, maybe just toss a stick in it for now); catch up with the Joneses, the Chudockis and others. This winter has been a long one, but I can sense something on the horizon...its coming as it does every year about this time. Spring, in all its splendor.

In the meantime, guess Ill do some Spring cleaning and fill boxes for the We Store...oh we miss you, Wausaukee, and all our friends in the nearby areas!!!

Beth Binsfeld-Jasiak,

Kaukauna

Editor:

Re: Reject $800 Scholarship

High School students, 9th through 12th grade, in Michigans Upper Peninsula rejected the opportunity to compete in the annual American Legion Oratorical Scholarship Competition.

Winner in the Upper Peninsula Competition would be guaranteed at least $800 as a runner-up in the State Competition. First place is $1,500 with potential of $18,000 in National Competition.

Requirement of competition is speaking on the Constitution of the United States, between eight to 10 minutes, and an additional three minutes about one of four selected amendments. Students can compete annually for all four years while in high school, unless winning national competition. Awards will be held in escrow until registered for college.

Imagine, a 9th grader being the only person to compete four years in a row could be awarded at least $3,200 for college by 12th grade, just by talking for 13 minutes a year.

George Maciejewski,

Education and Scholarship

Committee Zone 5

Veterans Serving Veterans

(and their families)

Letter to Editor:

Re: Encroachment

Mr. Palonen, I am responding to your encroachment letter of February 6 via this letter to the editor of our local newspapers. You did not respond to my first letter of October 28.

In response to the second encroachment letter and as stated in our first letter, we are contesting the encroachment statement. Again, be advised we do not want you on our property, nor cutting trees and changing the scenic value of our property.

I have never seen such arrogance and disrespect by a county employee directed to the residents of Shore Drive. That said, I suggest you take a course on how to listen. It is very obvious you are not listening to the residents on Shore Drive. Listen and you will learn, try three rods, not four, no culverts or ditches.

I will close with the same statement contained in my first letter. As our county Highway Commission, you need to be listening and you should be looking to improve and preserve our area and not destroying it.

Sincerely,

James Goodman,

Shore Drive

Editor:

Posterity, you will never know what it has cost my generation for your freedom. I hope you make good use of it. John Adams, 2nd President.

We have our military around the world fighting for someone elses freedom, while ours is being gobbled up here at home by a our own government.

Locally it is the County BB project, where public input was ignored, Crossing the Line and the water works debacle, with no accountability.

Recently the Marinette City Council bought a $47,000 Chev Tahoe for the police just after buying two Ford SUVs for $26,000 each. I wonder if the extra $21,000 for a luxury SUV will reduce crime any more than a $26,000 Ford?

Wouldnt it have been more prudent to have gotten another Ford and used the $21,000 for lifeguards at Red Arrow Park to protect our citizens while swimming? The best the city would do is buy a swim at your own risk sign and some buoys.

I understand they are drawing up ordinances so those of us without curb and gutters cant park on the tree lawns we have to maintain. The other ordinance bans campers from being kept in your own yard. In both instances, there was no notice for public input.

Can someone tell me what the problem is that requires governmental intervention into our lives over these trivial matters?

It is this very self-serving government that our founding fathers feared the most.

Politics is the business of gaining power and privilege without merit. P.J. ORourke.

Respectfully,

Robert Davis,

Marinette

To the Editor:

In spite of successful implementation of the Common Core standards by school districts across the state, overwhelming testimony in favor and endorsement of these standards by students, parents, educators, the University of Wisconsin, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, and the editorial boards of virtually every major Wisconsin media institution, certain legislators just don 't get it. The latest political power grab and affront to Wisconsin citizens are amendments in both the Assembly and Senate to direct the Department of Public Instruction to establish model academic standards, subject to legislative approval, to replace the Common Core standards.

Academic standards need to be a solid foundation for rigorous locally developed educational curricula that will prepare students to compete in the 21st century world. The Common Core fits the bill. Under these proposals one can easily imagine a future in which academic standards change frequently according to the dominant political ideology of the day in the legislature, dragging the state down to mediocrity.